Chute.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. FELMLEE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO RUSSELL WILES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CHUTE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed July 14, 1905. $eria1No. 269,588.

To aZl whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. FELMLEE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chutes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in chutes, and is fully described and explained in this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved chute. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section in the line 3 3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section in the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the door-operating ca.

bles.

Referring to the drawings, A is a cylindrical tube, preferably reaching from top to bottom of the building in which the chute is located.

ithin this tube is a central post B, which operates as a brace for the inner end of a spiral slideway C, preferably of sheet metal. In the form of my device here shown the spiral is so constructed that its radial elements are straight lines, and I prefer this construction, although other constructions can be used, providing the discharge-slides are made to conform to the changed spirals.

'I he tube A is provided with a plurality of openings A at the several floors, said openings being at substantially the levels of the portions of the spiral slideway in front of them, and receiving-tables A are placed adjacent to said openings to receive packages from the spiral slideway. The openings A, with the exception of the one in the basement, are closed by discharge-slides D, pivoted at their lower ends, so that they can be swung up to close the openings or swung down, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, into con tact with the spiral slideway C, in which positions said discharge-slides form continuations of the slideway and are adapted to receive material passing down the slideway and conduct the same to the receiving-tables A. The slideway is provided opposite the openings with a plurality of very small steps 0, which permit the upper edges of the dischargeslides to swing down flush with or below the surface of the spiral slideway, so that no sharp break is made in the surface over which the packages move. A spring D is provided normally in its raised position, and each of said slides carries a small wheel D A series of ropes or cables E E E E extend up and down adjacent to the tube, and these ropes or cables are counterbalanced by any suitable means to make it a comparatively easy matter to move them longitudinally. These counterbalances should be of such weight that if the ropes are released from other detaining means they will move upward under the influence of the counterbalances. The rope E is a dummy rope and is connected at its lower end only to a weight e of greater weight than its counterweight. The rope E is secured to the wheel D on the first-floor discharge-slide. The rope E is connected to the corresponding wheel on the second-floor discharge-slide, the rope E to the wheel on the third-floor discharge-slide, &c. The springs D, operating said dischargeslide, are ofsuificient strength to hold the ropes normally in their lower positions against the force of their respective counterweights. Each of the ropes is provided at each floor above its lower end with a short rope 6, running over a small pulley and provided with a handle.

The operation of my device will be readily apparent. Packages can be placed in the chute through recelving-doors A at anyfloor, whereupon they will slide down the spiral slideway in the ordinary manner, and if their progress is uninterrupted they will pass out at the lower or basement opening in the tube. In most mercantile establishments the shipping-room is in the basement, and a large part of the material which passes down a chute of this sort is destined for the basement. However, it is often desirable to ship material from one floor to another floor below, and this may be done with my device by pulling the proper rope. Forinstance, if itis desired to ship to the first floor any one of the handles attached to the rope E can be pulled. This will swing down the first-floor discharge-slide and deflect all material coming down the chute to the first floor. In order to indicate to employees on other floors than the one from which shipping is being done that the device is set to discharge at the first floor, the ropes are counterweighted, as illustrated, so that when the rope is pulled up it will rise through its entire length and the handles will all follow, thus indicating that the corresponding discharge-slide is down. In operatin the device an employee places a package in the chute and pulls the handle corresponding to the floor for which the package is destined, holding the handle down for a reasonable length of time. The same prov cedure is followed when shipping to the basement when the dummy rope is pulled, this indicating to employees of all the floors that material is being shipped to the basement.

I realize that considerable variation is possible in the details of this construction without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not intend to limit myself to the specific form herein shown and described.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a spiral slideway, of a plurality of discharge-slides at the various floors arranged to be moved into contact with the slideway to deflect material moving on the same, and means at the floors above each of said discharge-slides for controlling the same.

2. In a device of the class described,'the combination with a spiral slideway, of a plurality of discharge-slides at the various floors arranged to be moved into contact with the slideway t0 deflect material moving on the same, means at the floors above each of said slideways for controlling the same, and means for indicating the position of said dischargeslides.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tube and a spiral slideway therein, of pivoted discharge slides forming doors which close suitable openings of the tube at various floors, said dischargeslides being adapted to be swung down in contact with the slideway to deflect material moving thereon and means capable of being operated from the various floors above each of said discharge-slides to control the same.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a spiral chute, of devices for deflectin material therefrom at the various floors a ove the basement, and means capable of being operated from the various floors above each of said devices for controlling the same.

In witness whereof I have signed the above I application for Letters Patent, at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 12th day of July, A. D. 1905.

JOHN W. FELMLEE. Witnesses:

CHAs. O. SHERVEY, K. M. CORNWALL. 

